Iroquois County, Illinois

Iroquois County, Illinois
Old Iroquois County Courthouse
Map of Illinois highlighting Iroquois County
Location in the state of Illinois
Map of the United States highlighting Illinois
Illinois's location in the U.S.
Founded 1833
Named for Iroquois River
Seat Watseka
Largest city Watseka
Area
 • Total 1,119 sq mi (2,898 km2)
 • Land 1,117 sq mi (2,893 km2)
 • Water 1.6 sq mi (4 km2), 0.1%
Population
 • (2010) 29,718
 • Density 27/sq mi (10/km²)
Congressional district 16th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.co.iroquois.il.us

Iroquois County is a county located in the northeast part of the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 29,718.[1] It is the only county in the United States to be named Iroquois, after the American Indian people.[2] The county seat is Watseka.[3] The county is located along the border with Indiana.

History

Iroquois County was created on February 26, 1833 out of a portion of Vermilion County. It was named for the Iroquois River, which was itself named for the Iroquois people.[4][5] The first county seat was established at the town of Iroquois in 1837, though no official buildings were constructed there and offices were rented. Several other sites for the county seat were examined, and in 1839 it was moved to Middleport; a court house and jail were built there. There was a long battle between Middleport and Watseka (also known as South Middleport) as to which should be the county seat; in 1865, it was finally moved to Watseka.[6] The town of Middleport no longer exists, but there is a township of that name. A courthouse was built in Watseka in 1866 at a cost of $28,000 and included a jail in the basement; this building was expanded in 1881, and a new jail was built in 1893 just east of the courthouse.[7]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,119 square miles (2,900 km2), of which 1,117 square miles (2,890 km2) is land and 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) (0.1%) is water.[8] It is the third-largest county in Illinois by land area[2] and the fifth-largest by total area.

The northern border of the county is about 60 miles (97 km) south of the city of Chicago. The county is bordered on the east by the state of Indiana and its counties of Benton and Newton. To the north lies Kankakee County. Vermilion County, out of which Iroquois County was originally formed, lies to the south. To the west is Ford County.

The Iroquois River enters the county from Indiana and flows westward along the south side of the village of Iroquois, then along the north side of the city of Watseka, whereupon it veers to the north and joins the larger Kankakee River near the city of Kankakee in the county of the same name; the Kankakee River then flows into the Illinois River further to the northwest in Will County. Sugar Creek, further to the south, also flows from the east to the west, entering from Indiana east of Stockland; it passes through the south edge of Milford, is joined by Mud Creek coming up from the south, and winds to the north past the village of Woodland and meets the Iroquois River near Watseka.

The Iroquois County State Wildlife Area, a 2,400-acre (970 ha) state park, is located in the northeast corner of the county. There are also three nature preserves: Bonnie's Prairie,[9] Hooper Branch Savanna,[10] and Loda Cemetery Prairie.[11]

Climate and weather

Watseka, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
1.6
 
 
30
14
 
 
1.7
 
 
36
18
 
 
3.4
 
 
48
29
 
 
3.8
 
 
60
39
 
 
4
 
 
72
50
 
 
4.6
 
 
82
59
 
 
4.2
 
 
84
63
 
 
3.7
 
 
83
61
 
 
3.4
 
 
77
53
 
 
2.9
 
 
64
41
 
 
3.3
 
 
49
32
 
 
2.6
 
 
36
21
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[12]

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Watseka have ranged from a low of 14 °F (−10 °C) in January to a high of 84 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −28 °F (−33 °C) was recorded in January 1999 and a record high of 105 °F (41 °C) was recorded in August 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.61 inches (41 mm) in January to 4.62 inches (117 mm) in June.[12]

Adjacent counties

Transportation

Interstate 57 passes through the west part of the county on its route between Champaign and Chicago. From north to south, it passes through or near Chebanse, Clifton, Ashkum, Danforth, Gilman, Onarga, Buckley, and Loda.

The county is bisected by the east–west U.S. Route 24, which passes through Gilman, Crescent City, the county seat of Watseka, and Sheldon.

Several railroad lines pass through the county. The Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway operates a line that begins in Peoria and runs from east to west through Iroquois County, passing through Gilman and Watseka and continuing into Indiana. A Norfolk Southern Railway line runs nearly parallel with Interstate 57 on its way to Chicago. A CSX Transportation line passes from north to south through the eastern part of the county; a Union Pacific line joins it south of Woodland. Further east, the Kankakee, Beaverville and Southern Railroad operates a north–south line.[13]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18401,695—
18504,149144.8%
186012,325197.1%
187025,782109.2%
188035,45137.5%
189035,167−0.8%
190038,0148.1%
191035,543−6.5%
192034,841−2.0%
193032,913−5.5%
194032,496−1.3%
195032,348−0.5%
196033,5623.8%
197033,532−0.1%
198032,976−1.7%
199030,787−6.6%
200031,3341.8%
201029,718−5.2%
Est. 201328,982−2.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]
1790-1960[15] 1900-1990[16]
1990-2000[17] 2010-2013[1]
2000 census age pyramid for Iroquois County

As of the census of 2000, there were 31,334 people, 12,220 households, and 8,712 families residing in the county. The population density was 28 people per square mile (11/km²). There were 13,362 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.93% White, 0.71% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.07% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. 3.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 36.4% were of German, 12.0% American, 8.7% English, 8.1% Irish and 7.0% French ancestry according to Census 2000. 95.3% spoke English, 3.0% Spanish and 1.1% German as their first language.

There were 12,220 households out of which 31.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% were married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county the population was spread out with 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 18.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,071, and the median income for a family was $45,417. Males had a median income of $31,799 versus $20,936 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,435. About 6.80% of families and 8.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.80% of those under age 18 and 6.70% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Map of Iroquois County, with townships labeled in red

Cities

Villages

Townships

In 1855, a popular vote resulted in the adoption of township government, which was implemented in 1856. At that time, eleven townships were created;[18] they are listed below.

Over the next several decades, more townships were created from the existing ones, for a final total of twenty-six. The newer townships are listed below in order of creation.

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Dowling 1968, p. 9.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 166.
  5. ↑ Callary, Edward (2009). Place Names of Illinois. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. p. 173. ISBN 978-0-252-03356-8.
  6. ↑ Kern 1907, p. 677.
  7. ↑ Kern 1907, p. 678.
  8. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  9. ↑ "Bonnie's Prairie". Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 2010-10-15.
  10. ↑ "Hooper Branch Savanna". Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 2010-10-15.
  11. ↑ "Loda Cemetery Prairie". Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 2010-10-15.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Monthly Averages for Watseka, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 2011-01-27.
  13. ↑ "Illinois Railroad Map" (PDF). Illinois Department of Transportation. January 2006. Retrieved 2010-10-17.
  14. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  18. ↑ Dowling 1968, p. 21.

Bibliography

External links

 Kankakee County
Ford County Newton and Benton counties, Indiana
   Iroquois County, Illinois  
Vermilion County

Coordinates: 40°44′N 87°49′W / 40.74°N 87.82°W